Hunnewell Building

Thursday, April 20, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm – A Hidden Treasure: Arnold Arboretum Herbarium of Cultivated Plants

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Irina Kadis, Curatorial Assistant, will lead a special indoor tour on Thursday, April 20 from 2:30 – 4:00 of the Arnold Arboretum Herbarium.  This special event will take a look at the historic Arnold Arboretum collection and find out how and why an herbarium is assembled.  Meet in the Visitor Center of the Hunnewell Building, the Arborway, Boston. Free, but registration is limited and required at http://my.arboretum.harvard.edu.

Saturday, January 28, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Pruning in Winter

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On Saturday, January 28 from 9 – 12, Jen Kettell, an ISA-certified arborist, will explain the reasons for pruning and what to consider when pruning dormant trees, shrubs, and vines. She will demonstrate techniques, give guidelines for determining which plants benefit from winter pruning, and explain how plants heal from pruning wounds. Note: this Arnold Arboretum workshop, to be held in the Hunnewell Building, teaches ornamental pruning techniques; it does not provide information on pruning for fruit production. Fee $35 Arboretum member, $48 nonmember. Register online at www.arboretum.harvard.edu. Image from www.welldonelandscaping.com.

Saturday, July 9, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – New England Society of Botanical Artists: The Art of the Woody Plant

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With 150 members, the New England Society of Botanical Artists brings a strong, artistic presence to the Arnold Arboretum this summer. Up to thirty works will be exhibited ranging from watercolor to pastel during The Art of the Woody Plant, running July 8 – September 11 in the Hunnewell Building, 125 Arborway in Boston. The Society has recently shown at the Brush Gallery in Lowell, Massachusetts, participated in the New England Flower Show, and includes many artists within the group who have received prestigious awards from the national organization— the American Society of Botanical Artists, as well as the British counterpart—The Society of Botanical Artists. The focus of this show, woody plants of New England, offers a unique, artistic interpretation of many of the plants included in the Arboretum’s collection. The New England Society of Botanical Artists last exhibited at the Arnold Arboretum in 2007, and now brings fresh faces and new art for our visitors to enjoy. A reception with the artists will take place Saturday, July 9 from 1 – 3. Art Shows are free and open to the public.

Tuesday, April 12, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Magnolias for New England

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For many New Englanders, magnolias blooming in April symbolize the much anticipated arrival of spring. Though a cold night can freeze the buds or blossoms and turn petals to a brown wilt, our anticipation for the coming season has already been unleashed and can’t be suppressed. That is the effect of this early-blooming flower after months of cold and snow.

Andrew Bunting, magnolia expert and Assistant Director of the Garden and Director of Plant Collections at the Chicago Botanic Garden, presents an in depth look at the best ornamental magnolias for the New England area. Many are highlighted in his newly released book, The Plant Lovers Guide to Magnolias.

The lecture will take place in the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway in Jamaica Plain. Fee $5 for Arboretum members, $10 for nonmembers. For more information visit www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

Saturday, March 28, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm – Winter Trees: Beautiful Bark, Stunning Stems

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On Saturday, March 28, as the winter season hopefully winds down, join David Donovan at the Arnold Arboretum in an exploration of the wonderful variety of bark in the Arboretum’s collections. Discover trees with exfoliating (peeling) bark, like paperbark maple or stewartia. Observe trees with smooth, fissured, or rough bark, and enjoy the diverse beauty of mature trunks as you walk through the landscape. David has been a National Park Ranger and naturalist at Acadia National Park, taught high school biology, led nature walks throughout New England, and is also a certified arborist. Meet at 12:30 pm in the Hunnewell Building. In case of inclement weather, contact 617-384-5209.
Free, registration is requested at https://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Info.aspx?DayPlanner=1414&DayPlannerDate=3/28/2015.

Saturdays, December 6 & December 13, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm – Introduction to Winter Tree Identification

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The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University will hold a two session class in the Hunnewell Building on December 6 and 13 from 9 – 12:30 with arborist Kyle Stephens, an Introduction to Winter Tree Identification. Learn the basic information necessary to identify deciduous trees during their dormant season. Looking at specific character combinations, you will determine the genus and species of several types of trees in the Boston area. Class begins indoors with a discussion of basic classification techniques and continues outside to the Arboretum grounds to examine a variety of trees. This class is recommended for the beginner-to-intermediate tree observer. Dress in layers for both classroom and outdoor learning. A hand lens may be helpful, but is not necessary.  $75 for Arboretum members, $100 for nonmembers.  Register online at https://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Info.aspx?DayPlanner=62&DayPlannerDate=12/6/2014. (Kyle is in the tree below, photo courtesy of Arnold Arboretum.)

Saturday, October 25, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Small Worlds: Through a Small Glass Window

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Highlighting the intricate beauty of plants and nature, Josh Falk’s Small Worlds: Through a Small Glass Window is an ongoing macro-photo series shot with the intent of not only showcasing the subtleties of what we often take for granted in
nature, but to also create new abstract landscapes through manipulation of depth of focus and segmentation of the larger picture. As if the photos themselves and their glass-like finish are windows into a brief moment of time, Falk invites the viewer to look out, or perhaps in, to a new and reimagined world of nature and its complex beauty.  The Arnold Arboretum will host the opening reception for this show in the Hunnewell Building on Saturday, October 25, from 1 – 3, and the exhibit will remain on view through February 3, 2015.  For more information visit www.arboretum.harvard.edu.

Tuesday, September 30, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Preserving Forests in New England – Insights from Japan and Europe

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The biological diversity of New England’s deciduous forests is threatened by habitat fragmentation, increasing homogeneity of the vegetation, and the loss of top predators. Most of the natural landscape is now dominated by medium-aged woodlands, leaving relatively little space for species that require open habitats, young forest, or old-growth forest. The future of deciduous forests also will depend on climate change and the introduction of insects and pathogens that decimate particular species of trees. Understanding the history and ecology of these forests is critical for sustaining their productivity and preventing the loss of biological diversity. Professor Robert Askins of Connecticut College will present a talk on Tuesday, September 30, from 7 – 8:30 in the Hunnewell Building at the Arnold Arboretum on the major threats to our local forests and new insights for their protection from studies of remarkably similar forests in East Asia and Europe. His recently published book, Saving the World’s Deciduous Forests, will be available for purchase and signing.  Fee $5 member, $10 nonmember.  Register on line at https://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Info.aspx?EventID=1.

Monday, September 22, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Urban Greening for Urban Birds

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What are the needs of an urban bird? What can be done to increase the diversity of avian and other species living in the city? The highly managed nature of a city landscape provides biologists with some unique opportunities to understand both the role of humans in altering patterns of biological diversity and the role of behavior in limiting animal distributions. Join the Arnold Arboretum on Monday, September 22, from 7 – 8:30 in the Hunnewell Building for a lecture by Dr. Paige Warren, Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. A guiding principle for Paige Warren’s research is that the typical indices of urbanization, such as human population density, describe only a portion of the habitat structure that is important for wildlife. Paige Warren has recently analyzed 150 years of documented changes in the bird communities of Cambridge and examined a variety of Boston’s green spaces to determine ways to improve and increase habitat for year-round as well as migratory birds and other city-dwelling animals. She will speak about her research, done locally and around the country, to understand processes generating and maintaining biological diversity in a world that is becoming increasingly dominated by humans. Fee $5 Arboretum member, $10 nonmember. Register on line at https://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Info.aspx?EventID=1.

Saturday, July 26, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm – Getting to Know Your Chainsaw

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Before using a chainsaw, it is best to understand all of its parts, built in safety features, maintenance requirements, and the forces in play once you rev its small but powerful engine. If you own a saw, bring it to this Arnold Arboretum class, to be held Saturday, July 26, from 9 – 12:30 in the Hunnewell Building Equipment Garage (and you know you’ve always wanted to see the Equipment Garage – this of what must be stored there!) If you don’t own a saw but intend to purchase one, wait until you’ve attended the class to learn which styles and features are best for your size and needs. Participants should bring safety goggles, gloves, and ear protection. Dress for the outdoors and bring a snack and beverage. Head arborist John DelRosso will conduct the session. A class on use and felling techniques will be offered on October 4. Registrants must sign an Assumption of Risk and Release to participate.  Fee $45 Arboretum member, $58 nonmember.  Register on line at https://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Policies.aspx.